


Side-by-Side

by deirdreshannon



Category: Nancy Drew (Video Games), Nancy Drew - Carolyn Keene, nancy drew (pc games)
Genre: Bisexual, Bisexual Female Character, Enemies to Friends to Lovers, Enemies to Lovers, F/F, Femslash, Game 33: Midnight in Salem, Kissing, Lesbian, Lesbian Character, Post-Canon, Pre-Relationship, Slow Burn, post-MID
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-01-17
Updated: 2021-01-17
Packaged: 2021-03-15 04:55:31
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 5,195
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28807674
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/deirdreshannon/pseuds/deirdreshannon
Summary: Alternate ending to Midnight in Salem where Nancy doesn't go to Austria with Ned. After solving the arson of Hathorne House, Nancy Drew invites Deirdre Shannon to join her detective agency with the Hardy Boys. This results in a cathartic trip to New York, where Nancy gets to know the real Deirdre.
Relationships: Nancy Drew/Deirdre Shannon
Kudos: 3





	Side-by-Side

**Author's Note:**

> This is a slow burn, but I promise it'll be worth it. There are some Francy and Deirjoe crumbs, but this is a Deircy endgame fanfic, through-and-through.

For Nancy Drew, there was always something slightly nerve-wracking about wrapping up a case. Usually, she’d quickly say her goodbyes and book the next plane back to River Heights. Nancy needed time away from the crime scene process her cases, especially when she had been face-to-face with death. However, things were different this time; although she had nearly died in Salem’s underground caves, she felt compelled to make a more proper exit. Besides, she didn’t want to decline the Parrys’ courteous party invitation, so she drove to their house that evening. Jack-o’-lanterns illuminated her path as she trudged up the porch stairs of the Parry house for one last time; she could already see her friends inside, so she decided to quiet her fears by pushing the front door open.

Deirdre Shannon was nowhere on the first floor, so Nancy supposed she would find her later. That was fine by Nancy; there was much to unpack regarding Deirdre, and she didn’t know if she could handle that just yet. So, she made her rounds talking to each person at the party: firstly, she told Frank and Joe Hardy that she was on board to join their private investigation agency, an idea they proposed the day prior — they were elated to have her join them. Secondly, she talked to Lauren Holt, who thanked her for finding Frances Tuttle’s will and restoring Hathorne House to its rightful owner (Lauren herself). Lastly, she wrapped things up with the Parry sisters, who were simply glad that Mei had been exonerated and that Nancy had helped Teegan avoid too much legal trouble. 

Nancy figured that it was now or never if she wanted to talk to Deirdre about the events of the last three days. There had been palpable tension between the two of them, but Nancy felt that she had finally gotten a glimpse of the true Deirdre — who was shaping up to be much more complex than the Deirdre she knew in River Heights. She made her way over to the sleuth, who had emerged from upstairs and was sitting on the bottom step of the staircase.

“So, ready to leave yet?” Deirdre greeted Nancy, who assumed she was talking about the party.

“But… I just got here.”

“Not the house,” Deirdre said, smirking. “I meant Salem. You always wrap up your cases in a nice bow, just to run off to the next one the day after, don’t you?”

“I don’t know, actually,” Nancy replied tentatively, taking a seat next to Deirdre on the stairs. Normally, she would’ve left immediately, but something was different this time. “I do love Salem. But I’ve also been thinking of taking a vacation in Austria.”

“Doesn’t sound like your style, but… if you say so,” Deirdre responded skeptically. She stared at the front door for a moment, as if imagining Nancy leaving Salem. “Look, we had our _moments_ during the past few days, but in the end, you cleared Mei’s name. So… thanks.” She looked back at Nancy with a shy smile, trying not to betray her emotions.

“You’re welcome! It was my pleasure to help.”

“Ugh, that attitude just kills me,” Deirdre quipped, trying to erase the gushiness of her last statement. “You did get Teegan off the hook too, though. I hate to admit it, but for a moment… I actually felt happy I called you here.” Nancy raised an eyebrow at this. “Don’t get used to it — I can handle cases on my own. And… I’ve just emptied your praise quota for the coming year.”

“I know you can solve cases on your own,” Nancy said. “In fact, I was wondering if you’d be interested in joining the detective agency that the Hardys and I are starting.” Nancy hadn’t discussed it with the Hardy Boys, but if she were being honest, she knew Deirdre would be an asset to the team. They wouldn’t mind. And, admittedly, she enjoyed working with Deirdre more than she had expected.

Deirdre was taken aback for a moment. “You’d really want to work with me?”

“You know, you’re a brilliant detective, Deirdre. We’d love to have you on board.” Deirdre averted her eyes, embarrassed to receive such a compliment from Nancy. “Plus… you have an Ivy League criminology degree.”

“And I wouldn’t let you forget it,” Deirdre asserted. She paused for a minute, contemplating Nancy’s offer. “Okay, _maybe_ I’ll consider joining the agency. But I’d have a few conditions.

Nancy chuckled, somehow knowing Deirdre would say that. “Maybe we could talk about it at Luminous Infusions tomorrow? I mean, I could probably stay in Salem for another day.”

“Drew, are you asking me on a date?” Deirdre replied flirtatiously. She pushed her hair behind her ear, her elbow slightly brushing against Nancy’s leg. The closeness Nancy felt to Deirdre sent a shiver down her spine.

“Uh… Well, I was thinking the Hardy Boys could be there too. I mean, the a-agency was their idea in the first place,” Nancy explained nervously.

“I’ll be there,” Deirdre said decisively. Nancy took this enthusiasm as an indication that maybe she did like Joe Hardy, which irritated her for a reason she couldn’t place. “How about 9:30 for a bit of breakfast? We should try the ginger scones.”

“Sure! They’d probably beat Joe’s attempt at Johnny Cakes,” Nancy joked.

Deirdre laughed at that one. “Though I’d still rather have the scones at Luminous Infusions, your cooking yesterday wasn’t… actually that bad. _Especially_ when compared to Joe’s cooking.” Deirdre facepalmed after the words left her mouth. “Here I go, praising you again. I’m done now.”

“Well, I’ve had years of experience,” Nancy pointed out. “I had to serve three meals a day at Icicle Creek Lodge in Alberta, Canada. That’ll turn a person into a cook!”

“That’s what I like about you, Drew. Admittedly, it’s what gets on my nerves sometimes, but that’s… neither here nor there,” Deirdre said. Nancy raised her eyebrow quizzically. “You have a story for everything,” Deirdre continued.

Nancy smiled to herself. Throughout the case in Salem, she had started to warm up to the idea of a friendship with Deirdre. Maybe, they could look past their adolescent feud. And, maybe, Deirdre felt the same way.

— —

The next morning, the group of four detectives left the Parry house and made their way to Luminous Infusions to discuss their plans for the agency. Frank and Joe didn’t seem to have any problem with Deirdre joining them; it was obvious that Joe just wanted to impress her. Thus far, he was unsuccessful. As for Frank… Everyone knew that he had a thing for Nancy, but he refused to do anything about it. Nancy didn’t exactly know how she felt about Frank _romantically_ , though he was a great friend.

Once they arrived at the Luminous Infusions, Joe made sure that they ordered a hefty serving of ginger scones, blueberry pie, and cider donuts. They also enjoyed some chamomile tea — ergot-free, thankfully — with their food. Lauren was glad to see them back at the shop, but she couldn’t talk for long: customers constantly flooded through the doors, thanks to the publicity that the discovery of Frances Tuttle’s will had garnered.

“Alright, let’s get down to business,” said Frank after they had snagged a booth in the back of the shop. “We want to make… Well, more money from our sleuthing. Turn a profit, you know. Starting a private investigation agency would be the perfect way to do that.”

“Where would our headquarters be?” Nancy asked, eager to put their plans into motion.

“That’s what we’d like to figure out,” Frank replied. “I mean, we could consider setting up shop in Chicago, so you and Deirdre could be close to your families in River Heights. But someplace like New York City, for example, would give us even more opportunities.”

“Not River Heights, please,” Deirdre interjected. “I couldn’t get out of that town fast enough. And while I have my _reasons_ to pass on New York as well… I’d still consider it.” She then remembered what she mentioned to Nancy earlier. “As long as my conditions are met, of course.”

“Like what?” Joe chuckled. “No more arson cases?”

“Not exactly. I just want to make sure I’m getting my fair share, that’s all,” Deirdre said matter-of-factly. 

“What do you mean?” Nancy asked.

“Well…” Deirdre thought for a moment. “I know I don’t exactly have as much real-world experiences solving cases as you three, but Nancy said it herself: I’m a brilliant private investigator. Plus, I’ve got a degree in criminology. You all have to promise that I’ll get my fair share of cases, and therefore profits.” Deirdre smoothed down her green jacket, trying to emanate confidence. “Oh, and I’d kind of like my own office,” she added as an afterthought.

The three other detectives pondered Deirdre’s conditions as they sipped their tea. Joe drank his too fast and nearly burned his mouth, causing a ruckus and ruining Nancy’s train of thought for a moment. “She’s right,” Nancy reassured the Hardy Boys after gathering herself. “I’m surprised to hear myself say this, but we shouldn’t underestimate her prowess as a detective. I should know, after working with her for the last few days.”

“Then, Deirdre, you’ll get your fair share,” Joe agreed, still trying to win her over. “Welcome aboard!” He fake-saluted her.

“Alright, all of that should be fine,” Frank said. “The four of us are going to make a great team. But, we still don’t know where our headquarters are going to be.

“Well, I kind of like the idea of New York, too,” Joe replied to his brother. “It’s always been a dream of mine to live there. I hear the cheeseburgers… Never mind.”

“I’ll actually be visiting there soon,” Deirdre mentioned. “I could always scope out some properties, while I’m there.”

 _Why visit if you have reservations about going there?_ Nancy inquired silently. _It doesn’t make much sense._

“That works for me,” Frank responded appreciatively. “It would really help us to get this project going. Thanks, Deirdre!”

“Hey, any time,” Deirdre shrugged. “Looks like I’m already an asset to our agency!”

The four sleuths spent about another half an hour discussing the logistics of the private investigation agency, including potential names: they decided to dub it “HDS Investigations”, according to the initials of each last name in the group. Afterwards, the Hardys said their goodbyes to Deirdre and Nancy, as they had to catch a plane back to Bayport. Joe could barely hide his melancholy about having to leave Deirdre (his crush was anything but subtle). Nancy couldn’t tell if Deirdre liked Joe romantically, or like a little brother. Thinking about the former made her stomach feel like a rock, though she didn’t fully know why.

— — 

“Alright, our double date with the Hardy Boys is over,” Deirdre said to Nancy sarcastically. “What now?”

“I don’t know… Maybe we could walk around Salem a bit? I want to take it all in, before I leave,” Nancy explained.

“Fine by me,” Deirdre agreed. “World-famous girl detective Nancy Drew goes on walks in her free time, huh?”

“I think _everybody_ goes on walks,” Nancy remarked, chuckling. The two girls left Luminous Infusions and walked through the town square. “So, why are you headed to New York City? And when?”

“Right into the questions, hmm?” Deirdre replied stiffly. “Well, I’m just… visiting. Like I said. I’ve been meaning to go for a while.” She stuck her freezing hands in her pockets, perhaps out of nervousness; her breath permeated the cold air with spirals of smoke.

 _Well, she’s hiding something,_ Nancy thought. “Umm… Cool. I guess I’ve been thinking about returning to Austria, but I don’t really want to go alone.” While her last trip to Austria had been cut short, the idea of traveling there _again,_ without a companion, didn’t particularly attract her.

“No Ned?” Deirdre asked, turning her head towards Nancy. 

Nancy pushed air through her nose in annoyance, having explained the situation too many times to her family and friends. “We broke up two months ago,” she answered reluctantly. _Of course Deirdre would ask,_ she thought to herself.

“Can... I ask why?” Deirdre’s lips hung on to every syllable, as if she wanted to tread lightly.

“It just, umm, wasn’t working. Ned’s a great guy, but he doesn’t understand my… unbridled need for adventure. I think I just need to find someone who does accept that part of me.” Nancy wondered if Deirdre still liked Ned, or if that teenage crush was long gone. You could never be too sure that someone had moved past the events of high school.

“So, you need someone like Frank?” Deirdre prodded, only half-joking. _For someone who hates my penchant for unrelentingly questioning people, Deirdre sure does want to know about my romantic life,_ Nancy thought to herself.

“I’m not sure,” Nancy replied. “I mean, Ned was always jealous of our friendship. And I suppose we’d _theoretically_ be the perfect couple. But… I don’t know.”

“What’s the catch?” Deirdre looked off into the distance, fixing her gaze on the courthouse where so many turning points of the case had occurred.

“Still trying to figure that out,” Nancy admitted. “It’s harder for me to get to the bottom of my own feelings than it is to solve one of my cases. What about you? Anyone special in your life?”

Deirdre scoffed, the corners of her mouth curving downward. “Not anymore. We broke up a few months ago. College thing, you know.” She seemed both melancholy and inconvenienced. “I don’t really want to go to New York alone, either. It sort of reminds me of… Never mind.”

Nancy stayed silent for a moment, wondering which memories plagued Deirdre at the mere thought of New York. She parted her lips to ask about it further, but decided against this at the last moment.

“Drew,” Deirdre spoke, snapping Nancy out of her thoughts. “I never thought I’d be asking you this, but will you come to New York with me?” She sighed, disbelieving her own words. “I mean, you don’t want to travel alone, I don’t want to travel alone… It just makes sense,” she explained. “Plus, I could use another pair of eyes when we look for properties.”

“I’m inclined to take you up on that,” Nancy agreed. “You seriously wouldn’t mind me tagging along?” Deirdre shook her head, answering Nancy’s question. “So, when do we leave?” 

“Well, I want to spend the rest of this day with Teegan and Mei. We should have dinner with them before we leave. So, later this evening? I’ve already booked a hotel room for tonight.”

Nancy gulped a bit. “Um, okay then. We’ll go to New York City, this evening,” Nancy replied back to Deirdre. She looked over to Deirdre, trying to make sense of the dark-haired detective. Deirdre was so… Enigmatic. One minute she’d be making fun of Nancy’s positive attitude or something equally harmless, and the next she’d be inviting her on a trip to New York City. _Truly impossible._

— — 

That evening, Nancy and Deirdre trudged out to the latter’s car with their bags packed. Their nearly five-hour drive to New York City started off quietly, with only the sounds of Deirdre’s favorite indie band filling the vehicle. First album only, of course. Nancy tapped her feet lightly to the rhythm.

“So, why are we _really_ going to NYC?” Nancy asked, curiosity getting the better of her. Deirdre had given a non-answer when Nancy asked about it the first time.

“You already know the answer,” Deirdre said, rolling her eyes as she drove. “Properties. For the agency.”

“I mean… Why are _you_ going? What’s in New York for you?” Nancy surmised that she’d at least _try_ to get Deirdre to open up.

“Why can’t a person just visit good ole’ NYC? I mean, there are _loads_ of tourist attractions. It’s probably one of the most visited cities in the world.” Deirdre took her green eyes off the road to look at Nancy, and tsked. “That answer won’t be good enough, will it…?”

“Hey, you wanted me to come with you on your… trip. I should at least know what you’ll be up to,” Nancy pointed out.

Deirdre sighed, realizing she’d have to concede this information. “Okay, fine. I lived there from June to September. I have to… Gather some of my old things. And I’d rather not talk about it any more, and since it’s nothing criminal, it doesn’t matter.” She frowned, old grievances resurfacing in her mind.

“Alright, I won’t press you on it,” Nancy vowed, although she still had her questions. It was November now; why had Deirdre waited two months to get her things? “That’s all I wanted to know. Now, how much longer do we have until we get there?”

“Four hours,” Deirdre said. “I mean, it’s only 8:00. We won’t get in _that_ late. Unless you’ve got an earlier bedtime than I previously thought.”

Nancy chuckled at the ridiculousness of this. “Deirdre, we were out investigating in the wee hours of the morning during this case. And I’ve solved entire cases overnight. In Louisiana, Ireland, and Germany, to be exact. No early bedtime for me.”

“Hey, I never doubted your impressive and dedicated sleuthing, Drew,” Deirdre said wryly.

“That hasn’t always been the case.”

“Okay, so maybe _once_ I called you ‘grossly incompetent’ when I was your reference for that murder case in Colorado. Maybe, I called you a judgmental narcissist with chronic wrongness. Didn’t you get the case anyways? My attempts to sabotage you totally backfired.”

“Well, the case was actually a setup, and I almost died,” Nancy retorted.

“All water under the bridge, right?” Deirdre asked as the car entered a tunnel, not really awaiting an answer. Darkness surrounded them, with only a faint amber light illuminating the road ahead. “Especially since we’ll be working… ‘Side-by-side.’ In the agency, you know.”

“You’re confusing, you know that?” Nancy said, rubbing her temples.

“I’ll take that as a compliment. Most people think I’m a vapid bitch,” Deirdre remarked with deadpan delivery. “It’s nice that _someone_ acknowledges my complexity.”

“You’re not a vapid bitch,” Nancy said, trying to mitigate Deirdre’s self-deprecation. “You just had a certain… um, persona back in River Heights.”

Deirdre furrowed her eyebrows. “Yeah, yeah. That’s what everyone tells me. But, you wouldn’t blame me if you knew why.”

Nancy waited for Deirdre to elaborate. _Talking to her is like pulling teeth sometimes,_ Nancy thought with vexation. Clearly, Deirdre wasn’t going to divulge anything else, so Nancy gave up for the night. She turned away from Deirdre and looked out the window, brushing her titian hair away from her eyes. It was going to be a long four hours.

— — 

After an eternity, the two girls arrived in New York City. Nancy had visited the city before, of course, but her memory couldn’t do it justice: she was dazzled by the bright lights, the energy, the hustle, the way the city was still alive after hours. After driving around in Manhattan, getting slightly lost at one point, they settled in at the hotel — Deirdre hadn’t been expecting company when she booked the room, so the two of them realized they would have to share a bed. 

“Never thought I’d be voluntarily sharing a room with Nancy Drew, but here we are,” Deirdre said. She took off her blouse and slipped on a black tank top. Nancy couldn’t help but glance at her physique, admire her toned arms. This was when her realization started to set in. She was — possibly, maybe, a little bit — attracted to Deirdre Shannon. The fact that Nancy had _just_ come to this conclusion made her feel a bit dense. Why else would she have been jealous about Deirdre liking Joe? Why else would Deirdre’s mere touch send jolts of energy down Nancy’s spine? She didn’t know what any of this meant, or what it would lead to, but it sent her into a mild panic. It wasn’t that Nancy was afraid of liking women — she casually came out as bisexual to Ned, George, and Bess the year prior. But, Deirdre? Up until recently, she would’ve have considered her enemy-adjacent.

Nancy’s silent frenzy was noticeable to Deirdre, who was sitting on the bed, legs crossed. “You okay, Drew? Come sit down,” she said, patting the bed. 

Nancy obliged, trying not to seem too obvious about her turmoil. “Uh, yeah. I’m fine. I was just thinking.” She was still mid-panic, but only internally. 

Deirdre was quiet for a moment as she twiddled her thumbs. She looked over at Nancy, her forehead wrinkled, as if she were concentrating on something. “Alright, fine. You don’t want to talk about it. Which I suppose I understand.” (Nancy figured that Deirdre was keenly aware of how little she had opened up, but also that she evidently had no plans to change this.) Deirdre shrugged, then turned out the light on her side of the bed and crawled under the covers.

Nancy also decided to turn in for the night. She made a conscious effort not to get too close to Deirdre; foolishly, she was worried that her recent _realization_ would be obvious if they touched, and she didn’t want to come on too strong. Or, perhaps, she was afraid that touching Deirdre would solidify her feelings for her. It would make it real, tangible.

— —

Hours later, Nancy awoke suddenly in the thick of the night. The only thing she could see through the darkness was the red glow of the alarm clock, which read “3:00am”. She flipped on the lamp by her bedside, eyes quickly scanning the hotel room. _Nothing out-of-place yet—_ until she realized that Deirdre was nowhere to be found. Stumbling out of bed, still in a slight sleepy haze, Nancy rifled the room for her cell phone. She was dismayed to find no new messages from Deirdre, but tried not to jump to conclusions until a few more minutes had passed. Deirdre could have been down the hallway, getting ice, though Nancy doubted that the explanation would prove to be this simple. She was right; Deirdre still hadn’t returned by 3:20. 

Looking for some clue that would indicate Deirdre’s whereabouts, Nancy searched the hotel room more closely. It didn’t take her long to find, on the desk, a notepad with several scribbles that seemed to comprise a street address. Cell phone in hand, she typed the address into her Maps app, and saw that the address was a 20-minute drive away. It looked to be some sort of townhouse, but Nancy didn’t know for sure. Either way, if Deirdre really did go to this mystery location, there was no way she walked; she must have taken the car. How was she ever going to get to Deirdre at 3:20 — no, 3:30am now — in the middle of Manhattan? Nancy hated feeling powerless, but she lacked options here.

 _I guess I’ll have to trust Deirdre,_ Nancy resigned. She hoped that Deirdre hadn’t suddenly decided to abandon their trip, or worse. Maybe she really _was_ up to something criminal, because why would she sneak out in the middle of the night without warning? Most worrisome of all, Nancy wondered if something had happened to Deirdre. Because, well, Nancy cared about Deirdre: as both a friend, and as... something more. 

She contemplated the issue at hand for a little while longer, growing more restless with each passing minute. “No. I can’t stay here,” she declared aloud to herself. “Deirdre wouldn’t just disappear like this without a reason. I’m going to find her.” She slipped out of her pajamas, hastily fumbled her way into some skinny jeans and a sweatshirt, and pulled on her combat boots. Whatever was happening, Nancy had to get to the bottom of it. So, without a full plan, she decided to make her way down to the hotel’s parking garage, where they had first arrived in Deirdre’s car. Perhaps she’d find a clue or two in the spot where the car had been.

Nancy jogged down the hallway to the elevator, still running under some semblance of a time constraint, though she knew that Deirdre must’ve been long gone by now. She impatiently pressed the buttons, as if urging the annoyingly slow elevator along, until it finally reached the garage level. The garage was desolate, housing just a few cars, which was why Nancy spotted Deirdre’s car so easily. _She never left the hotel,_ Nancy realized, relief coursing through her. _At least, not in her car._ Nancy supposed she could’ve gone somewhere on foot, which brought her right back to square one. She ran a hand through her red hair, trying to rack her brain for places Deirdre could’ve gone. 

Suspecting that the parking garage would yield no more answers, Nancy entered the elevator again and repeatedly pressed the top button. She’d go up to the roof, and kill two birds with one stone; first, she’d be able to see the neighborhood from above, and while it was a long shot, maybe she’d spot Deirdre. Second, she’d get some fresh air (this ordeal had been stressful, okay?). 

Maybe she’d imagined it, but as the elevator took her closer to the roof, intuition told her she was doing something right. Sure enough, her intuition proved to be trusty, as it had countless times before. Nancy could see Deirdre standing about thirty feet away, facing away from her, looking out at the city lights. Nancy called out to the raven-haired detective, who jolted in surprise and turned around. She wasted no time running to Deirdre, adrenaline flowing through her veins.

“Drew? How did you—” Deirdre greeted Nancy, shocked at her presence. She seemed both miffed and elated that Nancy had found her.

“Just a hunch,” Nancy replied, shrugging. “I figured you were still nearby. But there _was_ this address you wrote down, and I thought you...”

Deirdre’s face paled. “You thought I drove off to some random address at 3 in the morning?”

“All signs pointed to… yes. Until I saw that your car was still here. And I figured that, unless you were snatched from our room by some nefarious kidnapper, you were still nearby.”

“Well.” Deirdre shivered in the November cold as wind blew in her direction. “Is this when I tell you why I’m up here and we sing Kumbaya?” 

Nancy rolled her eyes at Deirdre’s sarcasm. “If you want. I was worried about you, you know. I still am. So, I’d really like to know if you’re okay.” She paused, waiting for Deirdre to open up, to let her in.

Deirdre looked away, too shy to meet Nancy’s eyes. She rubbed her bare hands together, attempting to warm them. “I didn’t ever think I’d be spilling my guts to you, but here goes… I’m _not_ okay,” she finally confessed. “You know how not okay I am? The girl I was with for two years fell in love with my best friend, and cheated on me for months. When I finally found them together, she made _me_ move out of our townhouse, and my former best friend moved in. As if I were replaced, within a matter of days.” She wiped her eyes, black mascara transferring onto her cheek. “Oh, and that’s not even the half of it.” Nancy nodded for her to continue her story, and she complied. “Remember at the Parry house — when I said I was in Salem for two days before you arrived, sorting out Mei’s case at the police station? I was actually here, in Manhattan. _Why_ , you ask? Because Roslyn told me that she ended things with Sarah. She called me here to get me back, but failed to consider that I’d _never_ take her back.” Nancy filled in the blanks: Roslyn was the girl who broke Deirdre’s heart, Sarah was the best friend. “And that address I scribbled on that notepad — it’s where I used to live, where my stuff is. I never got the chance to retrieve it, because I wasn’t necessarily trying to hang around Roslyn for any longer than I needed to. That’s why I’m here now,” Deirdre added.

Nancy leaned against a railing, shaking her head with pure disgust for Roslyn, trying to process everything she had been told. “God, Deirdre… I’m so sorry. I don’t even know what to say. You didn’t deserve that, you deserve to be with someone who cares for you. Who truly loves you.”

“I know.” Deirdre nervously scraped her shoes against the concrete. Silence lingered between the two detectives for a few moments, until she spoke again. “I didn’t realize it until this week, but there _is_ someone who I want to be with. Someone who’d never do those things to me.”

Nancy’s heartbeat quickened. “Who?” She wondered if she already knew the answer.

“The same girl who found me up on the roof at 3:30am. The same girl who actually trusted me to solve a case with her, to join her detective agency... Even though — and it’s hard for me to say this — everybody knows that she’s one of the world’s best detectives. The same girl who dropped everything to help my family, despite the way I’ve treated her in the past.” Deirdre breathed out a sigh of relief. “Okay, please don’t make me spell it out any further. Remember, your praise quota is already on borrowed time.”

“I like you, too, Deirdre,” Nancy affirmed, elated that the other girl reciprocated her feelings. “I wanted to tell you, but I didn’t want to come on too strong. I just know that I’m… always happy when I’m around you.” She smiled, thinking about some of the moments they had shared in the past week.

Deirdre came closer to Nancy, placing one hand on her back. “I have some truly awful memories from New York, but… would you be willing to make some new ones, Drew?” she grinned, leaning closer to Nancy.

Nancy nodded, chuckling at Deirdre’s flirting. “Oh, I’d volunteer any day,” she replied coyly. She came close enough to Deirdre for their lips to touch, holding back for a second to savor the moment, then gave in. Deirdre kissed her like she meant it, and Nancy felt that it made up for all the time they spent being enemies. 

“I can’t believe it took us this long,” Deirdre remarked after they pulled away from their kiss. “I swear, I was dropping hints that I liked you all week, but I thought you were ignoring it. I assumed that you didn’t like girls,” she said lightheartedly.

“Funnily enough, I was worried that _you_ were into Joe,” Nancy admitted.

“Nope, I’m a lesbian. Did the plaid jacket not give it away?” Deirdre jested.

“Apparently not. But, yes, I do like girls. Especially when they’re Deirdre Shannon.” Nancy chuckled, her nose wrinkling; she kissed Deirdre once again as she wrapped her arms around her. If this were a movie, the orchestra of midnight traffic below would be the triumphant ending credit song; but, alas, this was Nancy’s life. She was finally content, finally with the right person.


End file.
